Philosophy 290-2

In this course, we will work our way through Plato’s Phaedo, covering most
topics in it and trying to get an overall understanding of the dialogue.
Although only around 60 pages long, the Phaedo covers an incredibly wide
range of topics. If Plato’s Meno looks like his first transition from
ethical topics to epistemological ones, the Phaedo looks like his first
transition from ethical topics to metaphysical ones: the nature of
opposites, change, the forms, the sensible world, souls, and causation. The
dialogue is framed by ethical questions which are sometimes given
short-shrift in the secondary literature, but which I want us to discuss:
should we fear death? Is it acceptable to commit suicide? Are our body and
soul somehow at odds with one another? These ethical questions are connected
to the metaphysical and epistemological issues through the main topic of the
dialogue: four arguments for the immortality of the soul. In addition to the
topics already mentioned, Plato develops the idea that all learning is
recollection, which he had introduced in the Meno, and he provides a long
myth at the end of the dialogue, which provides an overall cosmological
picture of the universe.

In addition to reading the Phaedo very closely, we will be reading secondary
literature, parts of other relevant dialogues, and other ancient
philosophers (particularly Anaxagoras, who seems to have a very strong
influence on the Phaedo).

If you have not read any Plato before this class, I strongly suggest reading
the Euthyphro (one of Plato’s earlier, Socratic works) before the course
begins. I also strongly encourage you to read through the entire Phaedo once
before the course begins.